The latest findings of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on Provider Relief Funds (PRF) will not be a surprise to LeadingAge members. Nursing homes interviewed as part of the report noted they were pleased that PRF was distributed so quickly but noted that the lack of clear guidance of how the funds could be used and the fact that the guidance was constantly changing was a barrier for some to using the funds.

The nursing homes also said that while the funds were essential to be able to address residents’ needs and prevent COVID in their buildings, PRF failed to cover all of their COVID-related costs. Reporting burden was also highlighted by the nursing homes.

Based upon the findings OIG recommended that HRSA document their lessons learned from the PRF implementation and administration and that it expedite audits to ensure appropriate use of PRF funds.

This report was based off upon 33 interviews with leadership, staff and residents from 11 nursing homes from around the country.